He'll be available come playoffs. LV playbook 101. Leagues gotta do something about this.
I'm sure he does have some lingering aches and pains but watching him, he looked like he could play. If it's playoffs I've got a feeling he plays. It'll be more telling if there is no surgery, and they(Leafs) add a high caliber player soon. Means some convo's happened over freeze/break.
Touche to the Leafs. Win while you can with the rules that are what they are. No shame imo.
Only people who don't watch the player every day think he is close to healthy. Matthews playing injured is still a 40 goal #1C which is insane. But ask any Leaf fan who has watched Matthews his entire career when he is fully healthy he is a force. 200 feet, puck battle winning machine who can score from any spot in any way from any angle.
This year, he was a guy who could make a play and get some good looks at a high level, but was no where near as lethal as he usually is. Missing the net a ton, not even close to the same defensively, can't skate, can't forecheck.
Basically he was able to draw players, pass the puck, and get scoring chances but usually miss them and that is such a small slice of the player he is.